Coronavirus: Oldham on brink of local lockdown as hundreds flout COVID laws in Greater Manchester
Written by News on 12/08/2020
Oldham is on the brink of local lockdown after it recorded the worst coronavirus infection rate in the country – with Greater Manchester seeing more than 1,100 reported coronavirus breaches in one weekend.
Council bosses are desperately urging people not to mix with other households indoors, asking them to “act now to prevent a local lockdown” as there is “no time to lose”.
Oldham is in the borough of Greater Manchester, where police received 1,106 reports of people flouting newly imposed restrictions last weekend – a 25% increase on the previous week.
There were 540 reports of house parties and indoor gatherings and 48 of licenced premises breaking the rules. Ten people were arrested and 11 fines were issued, Greater Manchester Police added.
Oldham now has the highest seven-day coronavirus infection rate in the country – 107.5 cases per 100,000 people – overtaking Blackburn with Darwen – which has 65.8 per 100,000 people.
This is more than double the rate in Leicester (51.8 per 100,000) – the only part of England to have suffered a local lockdown so far.
According to council data, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Oldham almost doubled from 137 for the week ending 1 August to 255 for the one ending 8 August.
Local figures show the virus is “circulating in almost every area and across all age groups and ethnicities” in Oldham.
The council says there has been a “significant” rise in cases among people in their 20s and 30s as well as in the Asian community.
Greater Manchester Police added: “It is worth noting that recent spikes in Greater Manchester which lead to the additional restrictions were centred around house parties with 17 and 18-year-olds.”
Oldham council bosses say cases are appearing in household clusters, which “shows household spread is a real issue”.
New restrictions have been put in place – similar to ones imposed in Preston to avoid full-scale lockdown – which means people from different households cannot socialise in each other’s homes, gardens or at pubs, restaurants and bars.
People who were on the shielding list should “continue taking extra care”, despite the scheme ending earlier this month, they added.
The reopening of casinos, bowling alleys, leisure centres and close contact beauty services will be put off for “at least another two weeks” in line with the rest of England.
The council urged its residents: “If everyone makes these small changes we can avoid a second lockdown.”
Localised lockdowns can only be imposed by the government in Westminster.
England’s worst-affected areas are largely concentrated in the north of the country – with nearby Manchester, Rochdale and Tameside all in the top 10 for coronavirus infections.
Pendle, which is a smaller local authority in Lancashire, has seen its seven-day rate double from 47.8 to 94.5 per 100,000 people.
Despite having a seven-day rate of just 26.3 – infections in Middlesbrough have increased exponentially in the past week – with a rise of 429% on the previous one, according to Public Health England.
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Oldham on brink of local lockdown as hundreds flout COVID laws in Greater Manchester
